Call-box signaling system and apparatus therefor.



c. 0. Jblmsou. CALL BOX SIGNALING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5, 1907. 957,9 Patented May 17, 1910.

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G. G. JOHNSON. CALL BOX SIGNALING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS THEREFOR.

' APPLICATION FILED OUT. 5, 1907.

Patented May 17,1910.

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ATTORNEY UNITED sr r s PATENT OFFICE.

cLAnnNon o. JoHNsoN, or'YoNxnas, NEW YORK, AssIeNoa ro AMERICAN nrsraror TELEGRAPH COMPANY, or nw voax, N; Y., A CORPORATION on NEW JERSEY.

CALL-Box SIGNALING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS THEREFOR.

names.

Specification .of Letters Patent,

3 Application filed October 5, 1907. SerialNo. 396,049.

. Patented May 17, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l CLAnnNoE O. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CalLBox Signaling Systems and Apparatus Therefor; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to combined watchman and alarmsystems and apparatus, such as illustrated and described, for exam%le, in the patents to John C. Barclay, 0. 761,026, dated May 24:, 1904;, and 777,327, dated Dec. 13, 190 1, and in the patent to H. S. Bullock, Jn, No. 883,447, dated March 31, 1908. Such systems comprise a. plurality of call boxes in a line circuit leading to central station receiving or recording apparatus by which the signals of said call boxes are received; and said call boxes are arranged to transmit distinctive signals for the ordinary service or watchmans signal and for the alarm signal, so that the central station operator is at once apprised, upon the receipt of a signal from any one of the boxes, whether that signal is an. ordinary service or watchmans signal, or whether it is an alarm signal. The distinction between the two classes of signals is, usually, that for ordinary-service or watchmans signals, the

number or c aracteristic signal of the box operated is sent in once or twice only, while for the alarm signal such number or characteristic signal is sent in a much greater number of times, withan additional signal (usually the letter, F1 of the Morse code, i. e., a vdot, then a dash, and then a dot) alternated between the repetitions of the box number; this additional distinctive signal not being transmitted when the box is operated for ordinary watchman or service signals. The said patents to Barclay and Bullock describe signal-transmitting mechanism whereby a signal box may be caused, at will,

to send in one or the other of these two signals.

lit is sometimes desirable to provide means for sending the alarm signals not only to the central station to which the watchmans signals are sent, but also to another point as well, and to send, only the alarm signals to such second point. For example, in buildings provided with fire pumps, fire mains, sprinklers, etc., it is desirable that alarm signals shall be sent to the engineer of the building, so that he may instantly start the pumps 3 and in large stores, it is desirable that the managers shall be notified instantly of an alarm, in order that provision may be made for the orderly exit "of people in the building; and in both of these cases, it will be noted, it is not desirable to have the ordinary service or watchmans si als sound ed on the same gongs or received on the same apparatus which receive the alarm signals. According to my invention, there fore, I provide each call box with separate contact mechanism or signal transmitting mechanism in a circuit leading to special alarm receivin apparatus, and l so arrange this separate a armtransmitting mechanism that while it is.operated whenever the main signal transmitting mechanism of the box is operated, it sends in its signals only when the box is operated to send in an alarm signal. A

The accompanying drawings illustrate a system and apparatus such .as referred to above; the particular signal-transmitting.

mechanism shown being that of said Bullock Patent No. 883,447. r

In said drawings ;--Figure 1 shows a front a1 box open, the door of the view of a si box having een removed; Fig, 2 shows a transversesection of the box taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 2 is a detail view showing partly in elevation and partly. in section on the line 2- a of Fig. 2, how the operating handle .48 is connected to the winding stafi of the clock train; Fig. 3 shows a side view of the main line circuit break wheel and contact device or pens; Fig. 4; shows a detail elevation of the con-v tact mechanism looking from the left of Fig. 2, the main break wheel being 1partly broken away.- Fig. 5 shows a deta' side view of the breakwheels and pens for transmitting the distinctive signal and the s ecial alarm signal and associated parts. ig.-6 is a diagram showing the circuitconnectiens of a box in the system. I 7 Boxes of the sort referred to above usuall comprise a door provided with a keyho e through which thewatchman-may insert akey to sendinhis regular service signals; WlllCh door, however, must be opened I Such is the case signal is to be sent in. with the box illustrated when the alarm herein.

Numeral 6, in the drawings, designates the casing of the box, and 7 the door thereof, the main portion of said door having been broken away, in Fig. l. 29 is a key-hole in said door, for the insertion of a ke into engagement with the squared projection 50 for operating the winding staff 24 of a clock train by which the break wheels of the box are driven. This clock train comprises the usual spiral clock spring 25 and a gear wheel 26, the latter driven from the winding stafi 24 through a ratchet and pawl, 27 and.

28, in the ordinary manner. Upon stalf 24 there is also mounted a cam 30 (Fig. 5) arranged to operate a shunt contact device 31 and also to operate a mechanical cutout device 32 by which the sendin of the distinctive alam signal and 0% the special alarm signa is controlled. Gear 26 drives, through pinion 33, the second sta'lf 34, upon which is mounted the main or line signal or break wheel 35; this latter being double, as is common in boxes of this sort which operate according to the well-known McCullough' system, embodying both line and ground circuit connections. Two contact devices, 36 and 37, (Figs. 3 and 4), engage the two disks of the break wheel 35. The second staif, 34, drives, through ear wheel 38 and pinion 39, the third sta 40, upon which is a second break wheel 41 for giving the distinctive signal, and a third break wheel for the special alarm si a1, referred to, the contact devices, 42 an 42 for this second break wheel being mounted upon the mechanical cutout lever 32 above mentioned. The third staff 40 drives, through gear 43 and inion 44, the usual escapement 45 havin the usual escapement anchor 46 and .pendu um 47. p

. pen the main spring winding stalf 24 is a hand lever 48 for operating the box. As particularly shown in-Figs. 2 and 2 there 1s, in front of the hub of said handlever 48, a disk 49,'mounted upon the same staff 24 and having a square projectin ortion 50 ada ted to receive a key inserte t rough a key iiole'29 in the cover. Hand lever 48 has a pin 51 adapted to be engaged by shoulder 52 of part 49 so that when said part 49 is rotated 1t will carry with it the hand lever and therefore will rotate the winding stafi 24; but as will be seen from Fig.- 2, hand lever 48 ma be moved through a considerable range imrresponding to several repetitions of the ox signal) before said lever engages the stop 53. A screw 54 carriedby part 49 and working in a slot 55 limits the motion of disk 49 to. such extent that when the disk 49 isoperated by a key, the box signal is sent in only once or at the most, a 1

mited number of times. When the hand lever 48 is depressed, however, the winding staff 24 is rotated through 'an arc corresponding to that through which the pin 51 travels between shoulder 52 and stop 53. When the box is operated by means of lever 48, therefore, the signal of the box is repeated many more times than when the box is operated by a key engaging stem 50.

The contact devices 31, 36, 37, 42 and 42 are all similar and comprise spring contact piecesarranged to make' and break contact with each other, such contact devices being mechanically operated by the cam 30, the break wheel 35, or the break whee 41, as the case may be. Such mechanically operated contact devices are in many respects preferable to and more reliable than contact brushes making contact with the break wheels or shunt cam 30, such as might be employed. Contact device 36 comprises a pen 56 and contact sprin 57, normally in contact but separated w en the teeth of break wheel 35 pass the end of 56. Contact device 37 comprises a similar pen 58 and contact spring 59, normally out of contact but placed in contact when the teeth of wheel 35 pass the end of 58. The two c0ntact devices, 42 and 42, carried by lever 32, are similar to 36 and 37 respectively, one being a normally open contact, the other a normally closed contact. Contact device 31 consists of a pen and contact spring, normally held out of contact with each other by cam 30, but which make contact when staff 24 is rotated for an alarm signal.

Fig. '6 shows the circuits of the instrument. 60 and 61 are two line wires, one connected to binding post or screw 18 and thence to pens 56 and 58 of contact devices 36 and 37; the other connected to binding post 15 and thence to one spring of contact device 31, the other spring of which is connected to line wire 60 (wire 60 continued). Contact points 57 and 59 are connected to the contact springs of contact devices 42 and 42 and contact 59 is also connected to terminal screw 16 and so to ground. The brushes of contact devices 42 and 42 are connected to terminal screw 17 and so to line 60.

The operation of the call box as far described is as follows: To send in one of the two classes of signals of which the box is capable.we will suppose it to be a watchmans signal, a key is inserted through the keyhole into enga ement with the extension 50 of winding sta 24 and the key is turned as far as it can be turned and then withdrawn. This winds up the spring 25. and rotates the cam 30 far enough to permit the number of the box to be sent in a limited number 01 times (once, we will say) but does not rotate tine cam 30 far enough to permit contact to be closed at 31, or to move cutout lever 32 far enough to bring. its contact deounces other signal, which we 'will suppose to be an alarm signal, the cover of the box is opened and the lever 48 pulled down as far as it will go. This winds up the spring 25 enough to send in the box number many more times than before, and. also movesthe cam 30 far enough to bring the contact devices42 and 42 into engagement with breakwheel 41 and to cause the contact device 31 to close the shunt between terminals 15 and 17 shown in Fig. 6, thereby cutting out all boxes in circuit 60 beyond. As soon as the hand-lever is released the break wheels 35 and 41 begin to rotate. The teeth and blank spaces of these two wheels are so placed relatively that the contact devices 3637, and 42-42 are operated alternately,

thus sending in the number of the box and the character on wheel 41 alternately; it being immaterial, in a broad'sense, whether the number of the box or the character on wheel 41 (the distinctive signal above mentioned) is sent in first. In practice, the handle 48 is usually arranged to be moved through such an are that the number of the box and the distinctive signal will be repeated a large number of times, when the alarm is sent in. It will be noted that the cutout lever 32 carrying-the contact device 42"-4:2 has lugs 32 embracing scam-projection 32 of cam 30, so that said cam 30 moves the cutout lever 32 positively in both directions; also, as lug 32 moves out of the recess between lugs 32* when the handle 48 is oper-..

ated as described, its face, engaging the end of one lug 32, prevents the arm 32 from rotating so as to disengage contact device 42-42 from break wheel 41 until,',in the last round cit the signal, the lug 32 enters the space between lugs 32 and then moves the lever 32 away from wheel 41; the construction being similar to the well-known Geneva stop-motion. a

The apparatus so far described provides for the sending of ordinary service signals (watchmans signals for example) and of another class of signal (alarm s1 nal for example) at will, from the box. he second class of signals (usually alarm signals) be-.- ing distinguished from the first class of signals by the fact that in addition to the characteristic si al or box number, the box transmits an a ditional distinctive signal, namely, in the case illustrated, the Morse letter F. As above explained, it is some times desirable to send signals of this second class (alarm signals in the case assumed) to another point than to the central otfice. To this end -I provide in connection with the of one break wheel;

alarm-signal break wheel 41 a further similar break wheel 62 (Fig. 5) which may have on it the same box number and distinctive signal as wheel 41, or mayhave any other suitable number or character for the signal. In connection with this break wheel there is a contact device 63 similar to the contact device 42; that is to say, a normally open contact which will be closedby the action of the break wheel on its pen. The circuit throughthis contact device 63 leads to a suitable hell or other signal receiving device.

In Fi 6 I have shown in full the circuits ox and have also indicated other boxes-64, assumed to have the same circuits;

and I have shown the s ecial alarm circuit conductor 65 leadin rom these various boxes through the a arm indicating device (or bell) 66 and battery 67 to ground; this circuit being connected to the on of the contact device 63 of each of said oxes,-as is in dicated in the circuits of one box, the circuits of which are fully illustrated in said figure. This contact device 63 being mounted on the cutout lever 32 on which the contact devices 42.and 42 are mounted, it will be obvious that contact device 63 is operated by its break wheel 62 only when contactdevices 42 and 42 are also being operated by their alarm signal is being sent in. Therefore the operation of the box to send in the or-' dinary service or watchmans signals;(the first class of signals above referred to), will not afl'ect the signal receiving device 66, which is afiected onl when a signal of the second class (assume to be an alarm signal) is sent in. p y

In Fi .6 I have shown generator connections an signal receiving devices 68 for conductors 6O and 61, such as are commonly usedin connection with call box systems; the particular arran ement shown being that of patent to M. Hamblin, No. 808,451,

ated December 26, 1905.

It willbe obvious that instead of cutting out signals in circuit 65 during the transmission of the ordinary watchmans or serv out the alarm signals in. the main circuit 60-61, I may accomplish the same result by shunting thecontact device 63, during the transmission of ordinary service or watchmans signal, as is done with res set to the distinctive signal in the Barclay atent No. 777,327 7 and m thesBullock Patent No. 932,753, dated'Aug. 31, 1909. What I claim is t 1. A signaling system comprising in combination a -line circuit, si al receiving means therefor, and signa transmitting means therefor comprising means for transmittin at will either of two different si als throug said circuit, and another signa cirthat is to say, only when an cuit and signal receiving means therefor to signals to be transmitted therethrough.

2. Signal transmitting apparatus comprising in combination main signal transmitting means including means for transmitting through one circuit either of two different classes of signals at will, and comprising also other transmitting means for transmitting a signal through another circuit concurrently with the transmission of one of the two classes of signals transmitted by said first mentioned transmitting means.

3. Signal transmitting apparatus comprising in combination main signal transmitting means including means or transmitting through one circuit either'of two difi'erent classes of si als at will, and other transmitting means d r transmitting a signal through another circuit concurrently with the transmission of one of the two classes of signals transmitted by said first mentioned transmitting means, comprising abreak wheel and contact means operated thereby, said break wheel driven by the mechanism of said main transmitting means.

4. Signal transmitting apparatus comprising in combination main signal transmittin means adapted to transmit successively an alternately a characteristic signal and a distinctive signal, said mechanism arranged to transmit said signals in alternation a greater or less number of times at will, and further comprising means for preventing the transmission of theidistinctive signal, when said mechanism is operated to transmit the characteristic signal the less number of times, said transmitting apparatus further comprising transmittin means arranged to transmit a signal t rough another circuit when said main signal transmitting means is operated to transmit its signal the greater number of times.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE C. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

C. F. PATTERSON, O. W. CONKLIN. 

